Constitution of the Lylat Republic
"The Constitution that from which our Republic draws its spirit, to deny it is to deny our freedom." The Constitution of the Lylat Republic is the document that founded the Republic. In it, there are specifications on the roles of government, governmental procedures, and guaranteed rights. The Constitution of the Lylat Republic Article I: The Lylat Republic Section I The capital of the Lylat Republic shall be Corneria. Section II The official language of the Lylat Republic shall be Galactic Basic Collective. Section III The official currency of the Lylat Republic shall be the Republic Marks Standard. Article II: Legislative Power Section I All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Lylat Senate of the Lylat Republic which shall be comprised of a single house. Section II The Senate of the Lylat Republic shall consist of delegates from all member planets and allied factions. No person shall be a Senator who has not attained the acceptance of their native populace, delegation, or colleagues. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on affirmation. When the Grand Chancellor of the Lylat Republic is tried, the consul(s) shall preside: And no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the Senate present. Section III The times, places and manner of holding elections for Senators, shall be prescribed in each star cluster by the legislature thereof; but the Senate may at any time by law make or alter such regulations, except as to the place of choosing Senators. Section IV The Senate shall have power to collect taxes, duties, imports and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the Lylat Republic; To borrow money on the marks of the Lylat Republic; To define and punish piracies and felonies committed in space, and offenses against the law of other factions; To make rules for the government; To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the Lylat Republic, or in any department or office thereof. Section V The Military Congress shall have power to declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and space; To raise and support armies; To provide and maintain a space fleet; To make rules for the regulation of the land and space forces; To provide for calling forth a military to execute the laws of the Lylat Republic, suppress insurrections and repel invasions; To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the military, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the Lylat Republic, reserving to the planets respectively, and the authority of training the military according to the discipline prescribed by the Senate. Section VI Every bill which shall have passed the Senate, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the Grand Chancellor of the Lylat Republic; if he approves he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his/her objections to the Galactic Senate, who shall enter the objections at large, and proceed to reconsider it. If any bill shall not be returned by the Grand Chancellor, after it shall have been presented to him/her, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Senate by their adjournment prevents its return, in which case it shall not be a law. Every order, resolution, or vote to which the concurrence of the Senate may be necessary (except on a question of adjournment) shall be presented to the Grand Chancellor of the Lylat Republic; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him/her, or being disapproved by him/her, shall be re-passed by two thirds of the Senate, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill. 'Article III:' Executive Power Section I The executive power shall be vested in the Office of Chancellors of the Lylat Republic. They shall hold this office during the term of 4 Galactic Standard Years, and be elected. The Senate shall meet at a determined time and member planets shall receive one vote. The candidate that has the greatest number of votes receives shall then be elected In case of the removal of the Grand Chancellor from Office, or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said Office, the same shall devolve on the Senate, and the Senate may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation or inability, of the Chancellor, declaring what Senator shall then act as Chancellor, until the disability be removed, or a new Grand Chancellor shall be elected. Before he enters on the execution of his Office, he shall take the following Affirmation: I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of Grand Chancellor of the Lylat Republic, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Lylat Republic. Section II The Grand Chancellor shall be the head of the Lylat Senate He may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal person(s) in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices; He shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the Lylat Republic, except in cases of impeachment; He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; He shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint marshals and consuls, who are judges of the Galactic Court, and all other officers of the Lylat Republic whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law: but the Senate may by law vest the appointment of such members, as they think proper, in the Chancellor alone, or in the Galactic Court; He shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session. Section III Chancellors, Senators, Grand Commanders, and all civil officers of the Lylat Republic, shall be removed from Office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Article IV: Judicial Power Section I The judicial power of the Lylat Republic, shall be vested in one Lylat Court. The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, arising under this Constitution, the laws of the Lylat Republic, and treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority; To all cases affecting officers, other public consuls; To all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; To controversies to which the Lylat Republic shall be a party; To controversies between two or more planets or factions; Between a planet and citizens of another planet or factions; Between citizens of different planets or factions; Between citizens of the same planet claiming territories under grants of different planets; Between a planet, faction, and the citizens thereof, and foreign citizens or subjects. In all cases affecting Senators, other public consuls, and those in which a planet shall be party, the Galactic Court shall have original jurisdiction. In all the other cases before mentioned, the Galactic Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions, and under such regulations as the Senate shall make. Trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be by jury; and such trial shall be held in the places where by law the Senate has directed. Section II Treason against the Lylat Republic, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open Court. The Senate and Military Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture, except during the life of the person attainted. Article V: Rights of Sentience Section I The act of slavery shall be strictly illegal within the Lylat Republic; person(s) accused for moderating or establishing forms of slavery, shall be presented before the Lylat Court and trialed. Any person(s) directly affected shall receive monetary forms of compensation and be given trialing powers in the trial of the accused person(s); person(s) indirectly affected shall receive suitable assistance. Section II All sentient lifeforms shall be known as equal; in all domestic, political, citizenry, military, and religious aspects. All sentient lifeforms shall, therefore, be treated as such equals; in all domestic, political, citizenry, military, and religious aspects; no sentient lifeform shall be subject to prejudice, discrimination, speciesism, or assault in relation to origin. Section III All citizens of the Lylat Republic shall be equally entitled to the rights enshrined in this Constitution; regardless of legislature in their native planets, unless the planets are not member-worlds. Any laws or regulations regarding citizen's rights on their native planets, that do not entitle them to equal rights, on planets that are member-worlds, shall be nulled and overruled, by the laws and regulations entitling citizens of the Lylat Republic of equal rights in this Constitution. Article VI: Planets' Powers and Limits Section I The citizens of each planet shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of citizens in their respective planets. Any planet may freely become a member of the Lylat Republic by sending a request to the Senate, unless otherwise noted by law. Once a request is sent to the Senate, the Lylat Republic is obligated to use whatever means necessary to ensure that a planet wide vote to join the Republic is completed. Any planet may leave the membership of the Lylat Republic after two-thirds of the Senate agree. A person charged in any planet with treason, felony, or other crime, who shall flee from justice, and be found in another planet, shall on demand of the executive authority of the planet from which that person fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the planet having jurisdiction of the crime. No person held to service or labor in one planet, under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labor, but shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or labor may be due. Section II New planets may be admitted by the Chancellors into this Republic; but new planets shall respect the jurisdiction of any other planet; and will not form any outposts in said jurisdiction, without the consent of the legislatures of the planet(s) concerned as well as of the Senate. The Senate shall have power to dispose of, and make, all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the Lylat Republic; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to prejudice any claims of the Lylat Republic, or of any particular planet. Article VII: Process of Amendments Whenever two thirds of Senate shall deem it necessary, they shall propose amendments to this Constitution, and they shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Senate; nor shall they be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate. Article VIII: Senatorial Power All debts contracted and engagements entered into, before the adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the Lylat Republic under this Constitution. This Constitution, and the laws of the Lylat Republic which shall be made in pursuance thereof; and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the Lylat Republic, shall be the supreme law of the Universe; and the marshals in every planet shall be bound thereby, to anything in the Constitution, or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding. The Senators and officers before mentioned, and the members of planet legislatures, and all executive and judicial members, both of the Lylat Republic and of other planets, shall be bound by Affirmation to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the Lylat Republic. Federal and planet legislators, which includes Chancellors, Senators, Grand Commanders, officers, marshals and consuls are, by the third clause of the article, bound by affirmation to support the Constitution, to be declared as so: I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Lylat Republic against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bare true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. Constitutionally Ensured Rights First The Senate shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to peacefully dissent, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Second A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free planet, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. Third No soldier shall, in time of peace, attack any planet, property, or person(s), but in a manner to be prescribed by law. Fourth The right of the people to be secure in their persons, ships, cargo, and effects, against unreasonable seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported affirmation, and particularly describing the persons or things to be seized. Fifth No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. Sixth In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the planet or sector where in the crime shall have been committed, which sector shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him/her; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his/her favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his/her defense. Seventh In suits in Court, where the value in controversy shall exceed 100,000,000 Galactic Marks Standard, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the Lylat Republic, then according to the rules of the common law. Eighth Excessive penalties shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. Ninth The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. Tenth The powers not delegated to the Lylat Republic by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the planets, are reserved to the planets respectively, or to the people.